The 26th edition of the NSF Martyrs Memorial Trophy 2026, commemorating Lt Kekuojalie Sachu and Lt Vikhozo Xhoshu, will kick off on November 13 at 4 p.m. at Indira Gandhi Stadium, Kohima, with 22 teams confirming their participation. The tournament will continue until December 3.
This was announced during the final briefing of the tournament on November 11, where All Sümi Students’ Union (ASU) President Diezevisie Nakhro stated that the edition, convened by Christopher Ltu, is being organised in support of the Nagaland Olympic Association and in collaboration with the Hornbill Festival.
ASU Secretary for Games and Sports, Seyielhousa Keyho, informed that the official fixtures were drawn on November 10 and have been released through the tournament’s official media platforms. He said the participating teams include former champions Newmarket FC, Sechu-Zubza FC, Lamkang Students’ Union, All Zeliangrong Students’ Union and Head Hunters FC.
A major feature of this edition will be the introduction of a double-legged semi-final format, with four matches to be played at this stage. The organising and technical committees have introduced the format to ensure a more competitive process in determining the finalists. The home and away arrangements will be decided by the technical committee before the matches, with goals scored and other relevant factors taken into consideration.
During the preliminary rounds, matches will be played for 80 minutes with a 15-minute interval, while matches from the quarter-finals onwards will have a duration of 90 minutes. All matches from the quarter-final stage onwards will be played under floodlights.
Organising Committee Convenor Christopher Ltu informed that the inaugural programme will be graced by Nagaland Legislative Assembly Speaker Sharingain Longkumer. The 17 tribal presidents of the NSF federating units will also attend the inaugural session, alongside college students and football enthusiasts. Special presentations will also form part of the opening programme.
The official partners for this edition are Yes Coffee, Progressive Motors, PepsiCo, G-Sport, NSRLM, Polo Hotel Kohima and FUN Plaza.
The organisers stated that the number of participating teams was partly affected by the academic examination schedule during November and the first week of December, which coincides with examinations for many college students and has limited the participation of some clubs and college teams. However, they expressed confidence that the 22 participating teams would make the 26th edition competitive and successful.
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Prize Money and Individual Awards
The champion team will receive a cash prize of Rs. 3,50,000, while the runners-up will receive Rs. 2,00,000. Losing semi-finalists will receive Rs. 60,000 each, while losing quarter-finalists will receive Rs. 30,000 each.
Individual awards will include Player of the Tournament (Citation and Rs. 30,000), Best Custodian/Golden Glove (Citation and Rs. 10,000), Best Defender (Citation and Rs. 10,000), Best Midfielder (Citation and Rs. 10,000), Top Scorer/Golden Boot (Citation and Rs. 10,000), Fair Play Award (Citation and Rs. 10,000), and Most Promising Player (Citation and Rs. 10,000).
Player of the Match awards will also be presented for individual matches, comprising a citation and memento.
The organisers have invited football enthusiasts from across Nagaland and beyond to witness the matches and support the tournament.
For queries, interested persons may contact 7005641840, 9612015062 or 8416062263.
